Steampunk Movies

So what Steampunk Movies to you consider to be decent? Despite having some great moments "The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen" was an overall disappointment for most folks, but what other films have actually left you satisfied? Some favorites of mine are, "The First Men in the Moon" from the HG Well's novel, and "Steamboy." Next year will see "Larklight" which looks promising, but what are your thoughts?

The movie version of Wild Wild West was ok. The mechanical aspects of it were quite interesting (gotta love CGI) However being a serious student of the Civil War period. I have a great deal of trouble with Will Smith being a Captain. There was no such thing as a black Army officer untill the 1880s or 90s. I loved the original series however. Sky Captain & the World of Tomorrow, though it is a later period has many ellements that would appeal to those of steampunk interests. Disney's 20 Thousand Leagues would be my pick for the all time steam punk movie. Jules Verne is to me the ultimate original pteampunk futurist.

I hope that you have enjoyed some of the videos I have been finding and posting. There are many trailers for movies that would be considered steampunk. If you have not checked them out yet, please do so; you might find a thing or two of interest in the Videos section.

Some of these movies I'd consider to be gaslamp fantasies, as opposed to steampunk (e.g. Stardust; the original novel is much more subversive than the movie but it's still, clearly, not steampunk). Hellboy, however, my opinion swings wildly back and forth depending on which scene.

I felt City of Ember to be quite steampunk in the mechanical aesthetic, as well as general atmosphere: the end-of-the-world feel, the anxiety, technology as a crutch yet as a means of escape, and that sense of possibility towards the end. I haven't seen it mentioned here so I thought I'd throw it in the mix.

Most of the Studio Ghibli are a bit that way. Though mostly empowered women based Hayao Miyazaki makes beautiful stuff. Wierd since he's a womaniser LOL.

Anime in general has a lot of Steam based movies like "Steam Boy", "Steam Detectives", "Trinity Blood", "Last Exile", to a certain extent "Metropolis" but is very dieselpunk in others, some of the clothes on the vampires in "Black Blood Brothers", and certain aspects of "Moon Phase" and "Final Fantasy Unlimited".

I'm a huge Anime fan and have a giant collection of over 1400 titles. Lemme know if you want other examples!

I have this movie on my 'to watch' list. If it is as you describe it sounds interesting.

Jha Goh said:

Some of these movies I'd consider to be gaslamp fantasies, as opposed to steampunk (e.g. Stardust; the original novel is much more subversive than the movie but it's still, clearly, not steampunk). Hellboy, however, my opinion swings wildly back and forth depending on which scene.

I felt City of Ember to be quite steampunk in the mechanical aesthetic, as well as general atmosphere: the end-of-the-world feel, the anxiety, technology as a crutch yet as a means of escape, and that sense of possibility towards the end. I haven't seen it mentioned here so I thought I'd throw it in the mix.

Continuing on the thread of movies that are fantastical, (and therefore in my opinion embrace the spirit of steampunkery), I have recently viewed A Matter of Life and Death, (1946) which was released in the States as Stairway to Heaven by Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. I have come close to ordering this movie which is finally on DVD when I noticed a recently acquired copy in the downtown library. While this film is set in the second World War (1945) it incorporates 'conductors' and travellers from all history (time is manipulated beautifully in this film) and relates a beautifully crafted visual fable. This is the first Powell and Pressburger film I have seen and it is no exagerration to say that this is one of the best films I have experienced of 'all time'.When people say "they don't make movies like that anymore", this is one of those films they are referring to.

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Conductor 71: One is starved for Technicolor up there.

I have this movie on my 'to watch' list. If it is as you describe it sounds interesting.

I'll warn you that it feels rather videogame-ish towards the end. But I was quite pleased with it, actually, on many levels. It wasn't as bad as I initially thought it would be when it first came out. It's not great, but it was well-executed.

Upon eventual viewing I agree this film overall was well cast, produced and scripted. In comparing it to The Golden Compass, The City of Ember was a bit more cohesive, yet perhaps it was due to the intentions of concluded the story in a single film rather than extended into many parts. Certainly it was on one of the better young adult interpretations that I have viewed with my daughter of recent adaptations of fantastic novels. Looking forward to Martin Scorcese's handling of Hugo and Spielberg's spin on Tintin.